Wyman-Rye Farmstead · National Register of Historic Places
Bradford’s story
Bradford in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2012.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →BradfordWI
A town of 1,002. Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
4 bordering townsMap →
Wyman-Rye Farmstead · Photo: Sa magnuson33 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,002
2025 Census estimate · −0.8% since 2020
Typical home
$434K
+9.8% in a year
Household income
$116K
median
Median age
49.2
years
Jobs based here
133
A commuter town
Is Bradford a good place to live?
Bradford’s best subject grades are an A for incomes and history; its weakest is a C− for walkability. 14% of residents are under 18 in Bradford, against 21% in Wisconsin’s towns and 22% across U.S. towns. On history, just 50 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns do better. Carver Roehl Park, at 52 acres with 1.7 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Bradford has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Bradford stand out
Where Bradford beats most towns.
Small town
1,002 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
La PrairieClintonDarienJohnstownBradford
How Bradford grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Bradford is from typical.
Jobs & income133 jobs based hereAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.1 of 20; 2.3% of households have no car; 1.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 44% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →HealthSSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Janesville 8.3 miles awayC+Open →Cost of livingBOpen →SchoolsBehind 54% of Wisconsin districts on tests and graduationB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1% conserved landC+Open →History2 places on the National RegisterAOpen →Civic life0.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Bradford: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bradford, and how to reach them.
PowerRock Energy Cooperative14.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterShady Hill Mobile Home ParkNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet9 providers40% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Bradford’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Wisconsin you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 20 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereTown of Bradford ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP codes53525, 53505, 53114, 5354653525 41% · 53505 25% · 53114 20% · 53546 15%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bradford.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
With 0.3 jobs for every working resident, most of Bradford’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Bradford for work: only 2% work in town. Bradford’s median household income is $116,000, above both the Wisconsin town median ($87,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). 2.8% of residents live below the poverty line in Bradford.
2%work in town
| Bradford | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $116,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 2.8% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.7% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Bradford2%
Janesville13%
Madison9%
Clinton8%
Beloit7%
15 mi
median commute distance
133
jobs based in Bradford
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 22% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade B
The typical home in Bradford is valued at about $434K
The typical Bradford home is worth about $434,000, up 9.8% in a year, 29% above the Wisconsin typical home. 89% of Bradford households own their home.
$434KZillow home value
Typical home value
Bradford$434K
Wisconsin$337K
+9.8%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than Wisconsin overall
Bradford’s median age is 49.2 years. 26% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 33% across Wisconsin.
49.2median age · WI 40.2
| Bradford | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.2 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 26% | 32% | 29% |
BradfordWisconsinUnited States
Ages · share of residents
21%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma10%
High school35%
Some college20%
Associate’s9%
Bachelor’s18%
Graduate9%
Women and men · all residents
43% women, 57% men
About 134 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±6 points). Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women. Among residents 35 to 44, 68% are men (WI 51%).
| Bradford | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.6% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 6.9% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.5% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.4% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 8.2% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 20.8% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 19.1% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.5% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 9.8% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 34.6% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.2% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.1% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.7% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.5% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,000, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
In Bradford, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Bradford has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 13° and about 38 inches of snow falls in a winter.
38″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–31°
Spring36–57°
Summer59–81°
Fall40–60°
Oct 14
typical first frost
Apr 28
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
Health in Bradford trails 63% of U.S. towns
Bradford beats the Wisconsin average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
37%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Bradford | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 38% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 26% | 25% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 11% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 20% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Bradford | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with heart disease | 7.6% | 6.6% |
SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Janesville
8.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Moderate risk in Bradford, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 56% of U.S. communities.
44risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
OutdoorsC+
Conserved land covers 1.4% of Bradford
4.0 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. The trail density in Bradford is 0.1 miles per square mile.
1.4%conserved
| Bradford | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.4% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
1.4%
conserved · 325 of 23,022 acres
4.0 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Carver Roehl Park | 1.7 mi | 52 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bradford
18pages on Bradford
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Bradford
Blackhawk Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Janesville9.8 mi$4,267 in-state tuitionBeloit CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Beloit13.1 mi$60,886 tuition
About 4 of every 100 Bradford residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Bradford for work
Where Bradford’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
133jobs based in Bradford
2%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
2 places in Bradford on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Bradford
Town in Wisconsin, United States
The Town of Bradford is located in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,013 at the 2020 census. The unincorporated communities of Avalon and Emerald Grove are located within the town. The unincorporated community of Fairfield is also located partially in the town. The town was named by William C. Chase, one of the original settlers, for his birthplace in Orange County, Vermont.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 36 sq mi
- Elevation
- 932 ft
- Area code
- 608
Questions about Bradford
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bradford, WI a good place to live?
Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Is Bradford, WI expensive?
That is 5.7 years of the area's median household income ($75,673 across the Janesville-Beloit, WI metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.